How Chest Freezers Can Save You Time And Money

Chest freezers are amazing pieces of equipment that you could have in your garage, porch, shed or anywhere that is sheltered and has a supply of electricity. They have many benefits, including saving you time and money. You might not think that running something large on electricity could possibly go hand in hand with a frugal life, but it certainly does. Below we’ll take you through all the questions you might have about chest freezers, along with all the benefits, so you can start planning to enjoy the rewards of such a simple piece of equipment.

Different Types Of Freezers

If you’re checking out freezer guides, the chances are you have had enough of the freezer you already have. Maybe the compartment isn’t big enough and you find you never have enough room to freeze what you want. Perhaps you’re only using the freezer section of the fridge and want to finally invest in a standalone freezer. Either way, there are lots of options to choose from.

Chest Freezers

Chest freezers are generally the preferred option for lots of reasons. Although they take up more space than upright freezers, they are much less expensive. Chest freezers also have a bigger storage capacity than upright freezers and they are more energy efficient. In the event of losing power, a chest freezer keeps things frozen for longer because of their design. If you are unsure which is the best chest freezer to buy, look at best chest freezer guides as a starting point.

Upright Freezers

Upright freezers are more expensive than chest freezers, usually because they are designed to be more attractive and come in a wider selection of colours. They also have things like shelving inside which means their capacity is lower as well.

Freezer Features

When you purchase a freezer you are likely to be upsold on features, and there are several you may well find useful on your freezer such as:

A temperature alarm that lets you know when the temperature has risen too much.

Airtight seal functions.

A feature that ensures the lid closes on its own.

Energy savings features.

A temperature settings option so you can keep a regular temperature regardless of where the freezer is stored.

Easy access controls so that you can operate the freezer without having to dig food out.

Interior lighting so you can see inside the freezer even if the room has limited lighting.

A child lock.

A long warranty.

So, What Are The Savings That Chest Freezers Offer?

As mentioned above, chest freezers cost less in the first place, compared to upright freezers, which means you automatically save money when you buy one. Chest freezers also save money on energy so every year you shouldn’t see much of a difference in your energy bills.

Here are further reasons chest freezers save you money:

Extra produce

One of the key reasons a chest freezer is able to save you money, is because you have the capacity to freeze extra produce. This could be from:

A glut of certain fruits or vegetables in your greenhouse or veggie garden

A glut of a friend or neighbor’s fruit or vegetable garden

Offers at the supermarket with huge reductions on certain meats, fruits or vegetables

A big batch of food you made from fresh produce, like fresh pasta sauce, and you need to freeze it

When buying fresh produce to freeze you can just wash it and place it in a ziplock bag, or you can blend it and then freeze it or cook it into soup or another dish, let it cool and then freeze it, the option is yours. Remember you can even freeze things like cheese, bread and meat so if you see a cheap offer or reduction, a chest freezer means you can go for it because you have the space to store it.

Buying In Bulk

Perhaps there’s a bulk supermarket near you, you’ve spotted a huge deal on produce, you have seen an offer that if you buy X amount of meat it cuts the price per unit in half, but you can’t benefit from it because you have a small freezer compartment. Now you have a chest freezer, problems like this are a thing of the past.

Leftover Meals

According to the USDA, 30-40% of the food in America is estimated to be wasted every year. The USDA is working hard to combat this issue, but you can do your bit to by freezing leftovers. It is so easy to make too much food and it doesn’t feel good to throw it away, so why not put them in tupperware boxes or ziplock bags and store them? You could even make too much on purpose so you have extra meals cooked in advance for a day when you’re too busy or tired to cook. Things like pasta, soups and stews all make for great frozen meals to be defrosted another day and enjoyed again.

Baking

Baking is one of those things that is so enjoyable but it takes time and so, might only be enjoyed once a week or once a month. Cakes, muffins, biscuits and bread can all be frozen successfully and mean you have a constant supply of fresh baked goods through the month. This is especially great if you like to bake your own unprocessed food.

Hunting & Fishing

If you bring home your kill from hunting or fishing, it is likely that once butchered it is too big to fit in a normal freezer compartment. Chest freezers are ideal for this kind of produce, particularly with fish which can leave a smell behind in a standard freezer and ruin other food. Just remember not to put anything else in there with it.

Small Business Startup

If you have a small business startup that involves food that is freezable, it is definately a great idea to invest in a chest freezer so that you have products ready to go in advance. You might also want to freeze ingredients in bulk when you see them on offer as, every little counts when it comes to starting a new business.

Healthy Eating

If you are trying to save money by making your own work lunches ahead of time, or you’re trying to be more healthy by avoiding shop bought sandwiches on the high street, then a chest freezer can help you make your work lunches in advance ready for the week ahead. You will save time making your lunch every night, you will save money not buying shop bought food everyday and you will eat healthier because your meals will be made from scratch.

How To Keep Making The Most Of Your Chest Freezer

Having a chest freezer is an easy way to save time and money, but there are ways to maximise the benefits you get from a chest freezer such as:

Ensuring you keep your freezer full, because empty freezers use more energy than full ones. If you have a gap, use containers filled with water to plug it until you have produce to put in there.

Use various types of containers to keep your freezer organised and easy to use. You might want to use different types of containers for different produce. For example; ziplock bags for soup, plastic cartons for meals and so on. You could also use recycling bags to provide easy access to each batch of food and to divide everything up. Don’t be afraid to be anal about organising your chest freezer as an unorganised chest freezer can be really tricky to use.

Ensure your freezer is set to the right temperature so you know your food is remaining frozen.

Label your containers really, really well. Label what the food is, and importantly when it was made and when it should be consumed by. Every food has a date you should safely eat it by and it varies depending on the type of food. This BBC Good Food guide to freezing food has a lot of tips on different frozen food ‘eat by’ dates.

Hopefully you’re feeling really excited about the idea of investing in a chest freezer to save time and money in your household. Just remember to keep it organised, keep it full and keep everything labelled. Happy freezing!